Ghanaian international and Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual offense charges at Southwark Crown Court in London. The 32-year-old former Arsenal player faces five counts of rape against two women and one count of sexual assault against a third woman, alleged to have occurred between 2021 and 2022 during his time at Arsenal.
Partey appeared in court on Wednesday, confirming his identity and entering not guilty pleas. The court hearing came a day after he played for Villarreal in their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Tottenham, where he was substituted in for Santi Comesana in the 78th minute. Tottenham fans targeted him with chants throughout his short cameo at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Trial Postponed to November 2026
The trial has been scheduled for November 2, 2026, under Judge Christopher Hehir, who explained that the lengthy wait is due to a huge backlog of work in the crown courts. “As you may appreciate, the crown courts have a huge backlog of work, which means that trials do take a long time to come on,” Judge Hehir said. Partey has been granted bail with conditions, including not contacting the three women involved and informing police of any permanent address changes or international travel.
Partey’s Career and Reaction
Thomas Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a £45 million deal and made 167 appearances for the Gunners, scoring nine goals. He left the club after his contract expired at the end of June and signed for Spanish side Villarreal in August. Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, stated that her client “welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name”. Arsenal, in a brief statement, said: “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case”.